“The Armed Robbers tied one of the Security Guards and robbed the Woman of her US Dollars, Car, Engagement and Wedding Rings“ Two jailed 25 years each for robbery

A Driver’s Mate (Bus Conductor) and a Mechanic have been sentenced to twenty-five (25) years each in prison with hard labour, by a Circuit Court in Accra for robbery.

The two Accused persons are Iddrisu Abdul Rahim, a Driver’s Mate and Sulleyman Dushi, a Mechanic.

The Accused persons and their six accomplices robbed one Ann Brewin of her Wedding and Engagement Rings (Platinum with two Carat Diamonds), an Eternity Ring (Platinum with nine Diamonds) and a Plain Platinum Wedding Ring. Some other items that were taken away by the Accused persons included an iPhone Six (6), a Hyundai H1 Bus and some amount of money.

The two Accused persons were charged with two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit crime to wit, robbery, and they admitted having committed the offences leveled against them (they pleaded guilty to the charges) in their preliminary statements in court.

Iddrisu and Sulleyman were therefore convicted on their own plea.

Pronouncing judgment, His Honour, Aboagye Tandoh, took into consideration the two days that the Accused persons had spent in lawful custody before they were brought to court, adding that the Accused persons readily admitted having committed the offences.

The presiding Judge however, stated that the modus operandi employed by the Accused persons for robbery must be discouraged, hence the Accused persons’ offences required a deterrent sentence to discourage future occurrences and also to avoid the upsurge of robbery, which had seen a decline in recent times.

The trial Judge accordingly sentenced the two Accused persons to twenty-five (25) years each imprisonment with hard labour on both counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit crime to wit, robbery.

In a related development, eight (8) people, including third and fourth Accused persons (those convicted) committed the robbery, but four of them are on the run (at large).

First and second Accused persons, Lord Forfoe and Anane Kwasi denied having committed the offences (pleaded not guilty to the charges) in their preliminary statements when they appeared before court on same day that their Accomplices, Iddrisu and Sulleyman were jailed twenty-five years (25) each.

Lord Forfoe and Anane Kwasi were thus remanded into lawful custody to reappear on Friday, the 5th of February 2016 for expeditious trial.

Background to the Case

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Chief Superintendent Duuti, told the court that the Complainant, Ann Brewin is a Businesswoman who lives at Airport Residential Area with her family, adding that the Complainant employed first Accused person, Lord Forfoe as her Driver.

The police officer also said that on the 13th of January 2016, the Complainant’s husband kept $10,000.00 in their car which was being driven by first Accused person and based on that, first Accused person conspired with the sixth Accused to get people to rob the Complainant of the money and that would also serve as a deterrent to stop going out in the night so that he (first Accused) could also get time for his family.

The prosecutor further stated that the sixth Accused also contacted the seventh Accused to get people to do the job, so seventh Accused also organized second, third, fourth, fifth and eighth Accused to do the robbery.

‘The fourth Accused person sent them close to the Complainant’s house and waited for the first Accused and the Complainant on the 14th of January, 2016, at about 1:30am while the Complainant was returning home from dinner with the first Accused to go home’, he added.

Chief Superintendent Duuti also informed the court that the first Accused who knew the rest of the Accused persons, excluding sixth and seventh Accused persons, were around so he signaled the car’s lights to them indicating that he had arrived with the Complainant.

The police officer added that as soon as the security man opened the gate, the second, third, fourth, fifth and the eight Accused persons rushed on them, all wearing masks, they attacked the Complainant and tightened one of the security guards and robbed the Complainant of her $10,000.00, GH¢8,000.00, a Platinum with two Carat Diamond Engagement Ring valued at $30,000.00, one Platinum Wedding Ring worth $2,000.00 and an iPhone Six (6) valued at $900.00.

Some other items that were taken away by the Accused persons include two Security mobile phones, a Security camera monitor worth GH¢45,000.00 and a Hyundai Bus with registration number GY 387-13 worth GH¢45,000.00, the Prosecutor said.

‘The second Accused who was driving the said Hyundai Bus in Ashiaman with the third, fourth, fifth and the eight Accused persons in his company, on reaching Tetteh Quarshie roundabout in Accra, were involved in an accident so they abandoned the vehicle and started running away’, Chief Superintendent Duuti stated.

The Prosecutor also accounted that bystanders did not understand why the Accused persons were running away so they became suspicious and informed the police who arrested the second Accused.

Chief Superintendent Duuti further narrated that the Complainant’s husband on visiting the scene of the accident suspected the first Accused so he reported him to the Police Station and he was arrested.

The police officer concluded that upon interrogation, the first Accused admitted he masterminded the robbery, adding that investigation is going on to arrest the other suspects who are on the run (at large).